Lamp shade forming machine



1964 s. z. TRACHTENBERG ETAL 3,160,079

LAMP saws FORMING MACHINE Filed Oct. 21, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet l 26 min INVENTOR. 5AM Z.TRACHTENBERG.

JOHN L.F0X.

BY M, M M

ATTORNEYS.

- 1964 s. z. TRACHTENBERG ETAL LAMP SHADE FORMING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. SAM Z. TRACHTENBERG.

Filed 001;: 21, 1963 JOHN L. FOX.

ATTORNEYS.

1964 s. z. TRACHTENBERG ETAL 3,160,079

LAMP SHADE FORMING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 21, 1963 INVENTOR. SAM Z.TRACHTENBER6.

JOHN L. FOX.

ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent 336M979 LAM? SHADE FGRMENG lvlACimE Samuel Z. 'Irachtenherg, 555 9th Ave, Marshall, Pa., and John L. Fox, M'cKeesport, Pa; said Fox assignor to said Trachtenherg Filed Get. 21, 1963, Ser. No. 317,758 6 Claims. (Cl. 3-1) This invention is for a machine for making lamp shades and relates to a machine for applying the parchment covers and binding tape of the shade to a previously formed wire frame. This application is a continuationin-part of our application Serial No. 706,804, filed January 2, 1958, now abandoned.

Lamp shades of the type to which the invention is applicable are generally formed with an upper and a lower wire ring. The upper ring has attached to it radial wires that extend toward a center ring that supports the shade in a lighting fixture or lamp. Frequently the upper ring is of smaller diameter than the lower one, so that when a covering is applied to the frame, the shade is in the shape of a truncated cone, but cylindrical shades are also commonly made. Usually the paper is stiff enough so that vertical stays are not used between the two rings, but they may be provided. The covering of paper or parchment paper is cut to the required shape and is made slightly wider than the distance between the two rings. For a truncated cone shade the paper is cut in the shape of a section of a flat annulus with the ends radial to the center of curvature, so that both edges are curved, the bottom edge being longer than the top edge, and the blank is long enough so that when it is applied to the frame the ends will slightly overlap.

When the paper blank has been prepared, its edge is positioned against one ring of the frame, and tape having adhesive on one surface is folded with the glue face inside around the hoop or ring and the tape adhered to the inner and outer faces of the edge of the paper shade. After the paper and hoop have thus been joined by the tape, the operation is repeated with the hoop forming the other end of the shade.

This is a well-known practice in the art, and intricate and expensive power-operated machines are available in which the positioning of the paper blank and wire hoop and the application of the tape is progressively and simultaneously effected around first one ring and then the other. These machines, however, are designed for economical mass production and are so organized that the operator must use both hands in guiding the frame and paper into and through the machine. Where custom-made shades have been made, the person assem bling the shade had to perform all of the operations by hand on a work table, the operation often requiring the etforts of two people to make a smooth, neat shade.

The present machine is designed to provide a low cost hand-powered machine for small producers who make a relatively few individualized shades, such as hobby shops, department stores, handcraft centers, and the like, where an expensive power-driven machine is not economically justified, or trained operators for such machines are chines are dangerous.

The present machine has for its object to provide a machine for this purpose in which the operator may employ one hand in manipulating the shade while using the other hand to turn a crank for driving the machine, gravity being utilized in place of the two hands of the operator. A further object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive hand-operated machine with which a novice can secure uniformly successful results, that is, the machine is adapted for what may be called donot warranted. Even for skilled operators, such ma-.

"ice

it-yourself service. A further object is to provide a machine adaptable not only to performing the tape curling and tape-applying operation at the bottom and top of a shade having different sized rings, but also adaptable for work on different sizes and shapes of frames.

These and other objects and advantages are secured by our invention which may be more fully understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. '1 is an elevation viewed from the left of the machine as shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the machine;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal section looking downward in.

the plane of line III-III of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a detail top view of the tape-curling and frame-receiving support in advance of the tape-applying rolls;

FIG. 5 is an elevation of the support shown in FIG. 4 as viewed in the same direction as FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a side View of the post at right angles to FIG. 5, a portion of the deck of the machine on which this post is mounted being shown in section;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary elevation of the upper ends of the two rolls as viewed from the right in FIG. 2;

FIG. 8 shows the pass-forming portions of the two rolls in FIG. 7 with the wire ring, shade'and tape passing therethrough;

FIG. 9 is a plan view on a larger scale than FIG.

2, showing the rolls spread for starting the operation, and with a support removed;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary vertical section through one side of a typical lamp shade;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary view of a. shade frame showing a typical connection between the top ring or hoop and a radial supporting arm;

FIG. 12 is, a small scaleplan view of a typical parchment paper sheet-or blank used in making a shade; and

FIG. 13 is arplan View similar in part to FIG. 9, but showing the rolls closed and the support in place, along with a fragment of the wire hoop.

Parchment shades of the type with which this inven tion is concerned have an upper wire ring or hoop A and a lower ring or hoop B (see FIG. 10). The parchment C is cut to about the shape shown in FIG. 12, the shape varying somewhat with the size of the shade, and Whether it is cylindrical or conical. For an eight-inch diameter shade the length of the blank would beof the order of twenty-five inches, the ends of the blank in the finished shade being lapped. In the finished shade, the parchment C is a section of truncated cone with its upper edge abutting or even lapping past the outside of the upper ring and its lower edge similarly positioned with respect to the lower ring. A strip of ornamental tape having its inner face. glue-coated is stuck to the outside of the top edge of the parchment, passes over the top ring, and is glued to the inner face of the parchment. This tape at the top is marked D, and there is a similar tape E at the bottom passing under the bottom hoop and glued to both the outer and inner surfaces 7 of the lower edge of the parchment. At intervals around the top ring are radial supporting Wires F welded to the ring, as seen for example in FIG. 11. No novelty is claimed for the shade itself, but is here described to better understand the operation of the machine.

The present invention provides a machine for apply attain a In the drawings, 2 is a base member which is conveniently a section of heavy wooden plank. The main frame of the machine comprises a vertical metal plate 3 having an inwardly-turned flange portion 4.at its bottom which. is bolted to the base 2 The top of the plate 3 is bent over to a horizontal position to provide a fiat deck or platform 5. A bushing 6 constituting a bearing is secured in this platform and a vertical shaft 7 passes through the bushing. It has a bevel gear 8 at its lower end. This gear meshes with a pinion 9, on a horizontal shaft 10 that extends diagonally toward the right rear corner of the machine as here illustrated, the vertical plate 3 being the front. This shaft has one end supported in a depending post 11' secured to the under face. of the platform by a bolt 12, and which provides a bearing for the shaft. There is a similar post 13 at the right rear corner as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 3, secured in place by a bolt 14. The, shaft 10. passes through the post 13 which provides a second bearing for the shaft. The shaft has a hand crank 15 at its outer endbeyond the boundary of the deck 5. By turning the crank the vertical shaft 7 may be rotated.

The upper portion of the-shaft 7 has a spur gear wheel 16 thereon below its upper end, and immediately above this spur gear is the lower cylindrical portion of a roll 17. The upper part of the roll 17 is the working portion. This is best shown in FIG. 7, and comprises an annular flange 18, the roll having a rounded groove 19 therein. Immediately above the groove the roll has a knurled cylindrical tape-pressing surface 20.

A roll-carrying lever 21 (see FIG. 2) is pivoted at 21a on the topof the table or platform 5. It carries a bushing 22 that projects downwardly through a clearance slot 23 (see FIG. 2) in the table. This bushing provides a radial and thrust bearing for a shaft 24, at the top of which is a roll 25 which also has a lower cylindrical portion and an upper workingportion. This working portion includes an annular flange 26 above which is an annular straight-sided groove 27. which is level with the flange 18 of roller 17. Above the groove there is an annular knurled tapeepressing cylindrical area 28, that is wider than the corresponding area of the roll 17, so that when the rolls are in working relation as shown in FIG. 7, the lower portion of the knurled area 28 is oppo site the groove 19in roll 17. There is a spur gear 29;

on the shaft 24 below'the roll at the level ofthe spur gear 16.

Since the roll 25 is carried on a lever 21, it may be moved toward and away from the roll 17. Aspring 30 secured to the table urges the roll 25; with substantial force toward the roll 17 to keep the two rolls. yieldably together. An elongated cam; 31 (see FIG. 2). on the table top is carried on a shaft 32 that extends through the table, this Shaft having an operating arm 33 projecting beyond the rear edge of the table. When the cam is in the position shown in FIG. 2 with its long 1 axis parallel with the edge of'the lever 21, the spur gears of the rollers are meshed and the spring holds the rollers resiliently together in the relation shown in FIG. 7. Whenhandle 33 is moved toward the left as-viewed in FIG. 2, the cam is rotated against the edge of the lever 21 to force. the lever 21 in a direction to'separate the two rolls. When the rotation of the cam has proceeded far enough, the flat narrow end ofthe cam will bear against, the lever 21 and the handle 33 may be released and the rolls will stay: apart until the handle is moved in the reverse direction, the action being an overcenter movement of the cam, resisted by the pressure of the spring. FIG. 9 shows the rolls so separated.

There is an arcuate slot 45 in the top or deck 5, the center of curvature of which is at about the point of contact of the knurled surfaces of the two rolls. 17 and 25 when they are together. There is a second arcuate slot 46 in the deck 5 concentric with the slot 45 and located inwardly thereof between slot 45 and the two rolls. The

lower reduced and threaded end PQrtiQn 47 of a guide post 48 passes downwardly through slot 46 and is adapted to receive a Wing nut 49, while a shoulder 50 on the post bears on top of the deck 5. By loosening the wing nut the post may be moved to any desired position along the slot 46 and also rotated, but by tightening the wing nut the post is held against movement in the position to which it is adjusted. The post has a pointer or indicator 51 at its base which is directed toward graduations 52 along the outer margin of slot 46, for the purpose hereinafter explained.

As best seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, the top of the post 48 is cut off on a bevel and it has a transverse groove. 53 therein extending thereacross in the same direction as the pointer 51 from the high end of the post to the low end, providing two spaced upstanding ears 54 that taper in height from the side of the post having the pointer herein termed the back, to the opposite side, herein termed the front. On the back of the post are tape guiding means, these comprising two spaced flat loops 55. The bevel on the end of the post with the forwardly and upwardly-tapered sides 54 forming the groove 53 starts the tape folding from the longitudinal center toward the edges, and since the hoop of the shade defines an arc of a circle at this point and rests in the groove 53, the hoop doesnot bind in the groove, nor are the edges of the tape turned up too far where the hoop enters the groove for the hoop to interfere with the folding of the tape, which at this point is substantially tangent to the hoop. The tape with the glued face turned away from the post passed up through the. guides into tape-folding groove 53.

In operation, the guide post wing nut is loosened and the pointer on the post directed always in a line with the graduations 52 which are radial to the center of curva ture of the slot 46. The bottom of the groove 53 in the guide post is at substantially the level of the top of the flange 18 on roll 17. Each different diameter of shade requires that the post be in a different position, since in operation the end of the glued tape is flexed into this groove with the gummed side up, and then the frame is rested in it and the groove and tape in it are generally tangent to. a circle defined by the frame when it is con fined in the groove 19 of roll 17 and the two rolls are together. The post arrangementhere shown with the curved slot 46 enables the post to be quickly moved to a correct position and the post simultaneously rotated through a slight arc to keep the groove aimed or directed in the right position. 'The operator cuts a length of tape to fit the frame which he is using. If the taper has a pressure-sensitive adhesive, it requires no moistening, but if it is has a glue which must be moistened, he moistens the glued surface. Having set the post in the required position, tightened the wing nut to hold it against movement, he passes the end of the tape up through the slot 45, then under the guide loops 55 and folds the lead end into an open trough in the groove 53. He is then ready to lay the frame into position. At this time, the rolls are spread apart by operation of the handle 33 and cam 31.

On the table forwardly of the rolls there is a frame hoop-supporting bar 60 having one end upturned at 61. It is supported on a central post 62 that enters a guide sleeve 63 extending downwardly through the table and having a set screw 64 near its lower end. The post is calibrated (not shown) to indicate the vertical height of the bar 60 with respect to the table.

The front plate 3 is provided with a horizontally-slidable parchment supporting frame 65, this frame having two arms 66 that pass through the plate 3 and have nuts 67 on their inner ends. In use, this support is pulled out as far as the nuts 67 permit, and it is pushed in close to'the front of the machine when the machine is not in use, only, however, in order to save space.

The operation of the machine is further facilitated by the provision at the outlet side of the roll-pass between the rolls 17 and 25 of a support 70 which is pointed toward the roll pass and which is carried by a supporting bracket 71 secured to the table 5. This support 70 has its top surface overlapping flange 18 flush, or about flush, with it, the thickness of the support being very slight, possibly a little greater than the thickness of the gummed tape. It serves to keep the ring at the proper level when the rolls are spread, or during the application of the tape, to help keep the ring in the desired position.

A vertical post '72 extending between the base and the back of the table braces and steadies the table 5, which otherwise might tend to spring up and down.

When the operator has proceeded, as previously described,'to the point of placing the end of the tape in the guide with the rolls spread apart as above explained, he rests the lamp frame in the tape guide and on the supporting bar 60 and the support 70. The support bar 60 is then adjusted to hold the frame level if the shade is cylindrical, or at an angle such that when the parchment is being applied it will be in a vertical plane if the shade is a conical shade. At this time the frame is then supported entirely by gravity.

The operator then takes the parchment blank and holds the leading edge vertical in the tape guide groove 53 against the frame, usually starting with the bottom ring of the shade frame first. The parchment trails out from this point over the support 60 and rests on the support 66 so that it has less tendency to flop over, and the upright arm on the guide bar 60 keeps the blank in proximity to the frame as the two approach the point where they are formed.

With the lamp shade frame supported by gravity and the parchment shade in position, he closes the two rolls with his free hand and then turns the crank 59, after having first squeezed the leading end of the tape around the frame and against the parchment with his fingers. The frame is rotated as the rollers are turned, and the tape and the shade blank feed into the bight of the knurled portions of the two rollers. This can be done slowly, deliberately, and with care, and the operator can reverse crank after the start to correct misalignment or a bad start. The crank is removed from the place where the operating hand of the operator may become involved with the trail ing end of the blank, and the operator can watch the tape to see that it is being curled evenly and does not become higher on the inside of the shade and lower on the outside, or vice versa, and may quickly reverse if such creeping becomes apparent. All the time the operator has one hand free for holding the blank vertical and in proper contact with the shade frame. Even anovice may quickly do these things with but a single try with a practice blank, and at no time are the fingers of the operator threatened with accident.

It is only by utilizing gravity with the rolls turning about vertical axes that one hand of the operator is free to control the parchment blank, since its own gravity keeps it in the trough of the tape guide, whereas heretofore both hands have been required to steady the frame and guide the blank, while a foot pedal has been used to open and close the rolls and the tape guide. Moreover, the same rolls may be used on the top and bottom ends of the frame, even with a tapered shade, simply by lowering the supporting bar as far below a positionwhere the frame would be level as it is raised above-said plane for the larger end. It is for this reason that the roll shafts 7 and 24 are long enough to elevate the rolls to a level Well above the deck 5, whereas if the rolls were close to the deck the support bar could-not be lowered sufiiciently below the plane of the groove 19. Because the rolls 17 and 25 are resiliently urged together, the rolls will spread when the radial support wires F move between them and instantly close together again.

The machine as thus constructed is simple to operate and after one or two trials a person who is entirely unfamiliar with it can secure good results. Blank paper can be used, of course, for practice, and torn oh the hoops when the first shade is to be made. The hoops are of standard sizes, so that the support 54 can be readily adjusted by calibrations to the exact height required for any hoop or shade. The shape of the rolls 17 and 25 with the flange 18 on roll 17 aids in positioning the hoop, and after the rolls have been'closed to start the operation, the operator can control the blank, see clearly that the operation is proceeding accurately, and as above pointed out, reverse if necessary.

As previously stated, the machine is not a, high-speed mass shade-producing machine but is designed for special fields that do not justify elaborate power-driven machines.

While We have shown and described one embodiment of our invention, it will be understood that this is by way of illustration and that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the contemplation of our invention and under the scope of the following claims.

We claim:

1. A machine for taping a parchment shade to a lamp shade frame comprising a base, a deck elevated above the base and supported thereon, a shaft mounted on the deck passing vertically therethrough having a pinion at its lower end below the deck, a roll fixed to the upper end of the shaft elevated above the deck, a second shaft parallel with the first, a movable support for the second shaft, a roll on the second shaft parallel with the the first and also elevated above the deck, means for resiliently urging the said second shaft toward the first to maintain the rolls of the two shafts in contact, gears on the two shafts below the rolls which mesh with each other when the two rolls are in close working relation with each other, a cam and lever arrangement on the deck for moving said support to separate the rolls, the cam having an over-center position which engages the support for holding the rolls separated a predetermined distance, a horizontal shaft supported under the deck for rotation, said shaft having a gear that meshes with the pinion and having a hand crank at its other end rotatable in a plane clear of the deck and accessible at the side of the machine, one of said rolls having a knurled peripheral bank at the top, a peripheral groove immediately below the knurled band and a flange at the bottom of the groove projecting beyond the periphery of the knurled band, the other of said rolls having a knurled peripheral band confronting the corresponding band and the groove of the other and being undercut below its knurled band to provide clearance for the flange of the first roll, a frame-supporting bar over the deck forwardly of the two rolls, vertically adjustable means for selectrvely adjusting the bar from a level above the groove 1n the first roll to a level below said groove whereby the vertical axis of a lamp frame resting thereon and engaged 1n the groove may be reversely inclined toward or away from the vertical axes of the rolls, a tape guide earned on the deck comprising a postwith a transverse groove in the top at approximately the level of the groove 1n the first roller, said post being spaced to one side of the rolls toward which the frame and tape are moved by the rolls during operation of the machine and being rotatable about its own axis and movable in an are substantially radial to the vertical line of contact between the two rolls when they are together, and means for releasably holding the post in an adjusted position relative to the rolls.

2. A machine for taping a parchment shade as defined in claim'l wherein there is a frame support on the deck adjacent the rolls opposite the side on which has a threaded extension of reduced diameter at its lower end, the deck having a curved slot therein through which i the extension passes with the base of the post above the 2 extension resting on the deck, the curvature of the slot being substantially radial to the vertical line of contact between the two rolls when they are together, the means on the post for releasably holding the post in position comprising a wing nut on the threaded extension which may be turned into clamping engagement with the under side of the deck. 7

4. A machine for taping a parchment shade to a lamp shade frame as defined in claim 3 in which the post has a pointer thereon which is directed in the same direction as said transverse groove in the top of the post, and graduations in the deck top along said slot and radial thereto with which the pointer may be aligned.

5. A machine for taping a parchment shade to a lamp 8 shade frame as defined in claim 4 'wherein the deck has a second slot therein concentric about the first through which a strip of gumrned tape may hang and be drawn when the upper end of the tape is cupped into the transverse groove of the guide post.

6. A machine for taping a parchment shade to a lamp.

shade frame as defined in claim 1 in which said adjustable support bar has a vertical blank guiding extension at that end which is the nearer to the tape guide.

References Cited by the Examine UNITED STATES PATENTS FRANK E. BAILEY, Primary Examiner. 

1. A MACHINE FOR TAPING A PARCHMENT SHADE TO A LAMP SHADE FRAME COMPRISING A BASE, A DECK ELEVATED ABOVE THE BASE AND SUPPORTED THEREON, A SHAFT MOUNTED ON THE DECK PASSING VERTICALLY THERETHROUGH HAVING A PINION AT ITS LOWER END BELOW THE DECK, A ROLL FIXED TO THE UPPER END OF THE SHAFT ELEVATED ABOVE THE DECK, A SECOND SHAFT PARALLEL WITH THE FIRST, A MOVABLE SUPPORT FOR THE SECOND SHAFT, A ROLL ON THE SECOND SHAFT PARALLEL WITH THE THE FIRST AND ALSO ELEVATED ABOVE THE DECK, MEANS FOR RESILIENTLY URGING THE SAID SECOND SHAFT TOWARD THE FIRST TO MAINTAIN THE ROLLS OF THE TWO SHAFTS IN CONTACT, GEARS ON THE TWO SHAFTS BELOW THE ROLLS WHICH MESH WITH EACH OTHER WHEN THE TWO ROLLS ARE IN CLOSE WORKING RELATION WITH EACH OTHER, A CAM AND LEVER ARRANGEMENT ON THE DECK FOR MOVING SAID SUPPORT TO SEPARATE THE ROLLS, THE CAM HAVING AN OVER-CENTER POSITION WHICH ENGAGES THE SUPPORT FOR HOLDING THE ROLLS SEPARATED A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE, A HORIZONTAL SHAFT SUPPORTED UNDER THE DECK FOR ROTATION, SAID SHAFT HAVING A GEAR THAT MESHES WITH THE PINION AND HAVING A HAND CRANK AT ITS OTHER END ROTATABLE IN A PLANE CLEAR OF THE DECK AND ACCESSIBLE AT THE SIDE OF THE MACHINE, ONE OF SAID ROLLS HAVING A KNURLED PERIPHERAL BANK AT THE TOP, A PERIPHERAL GROOVE IMMEDIATELY BELOW THE KNURLED BAND AND A FLANGE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE GROOVE PROJECTING BEYOND THE PERIPHERY OF THE KNURLED BAND, THE OTHER OF SAID ROLLS HAVING A KNURLED PERIPHERAL BAND CONFRONTING THE CORRESPONDING BAND AND THE GROOVE OF THE OTHER AND BEING UNDERCUT BELOW ITS KNURLED BAND TO PROVIDE CLEARANCE FOR THE FLANGE OF THE FIRST ROLL, A FRAME-SUPPORTING BAR OVER THE DECK FORWARDLY OF THE TWO ROLLS, VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY ADJUSTING THE BAR FROM A LEVEL ABOVE THE GROOVE IN THE FIRST ROLL TO A LEVEL BELOW SAID GROOVE WHEREBY THE VERTICAL AXIS OF A LAMP FRAME RESTING THEREON AND ENGAGED IN THE GROOVE MAY BE REVERSELY INCLINED TOWARD OR AWAY FROM THE VERTICAL AXES OF THE ROLLS, A TAPE GUIDE CARRIED ON THE DECK COMPRISING A POST WITH A TRANSVERSE GROOVE IN THE TOP AT APPROXIMATELY THE LEVEL OF THE GROOVE IN THE FIRST ROLLER, SAID POST BEING SPACED TO ONE SIDE OF THE ROLLS TOWARD WHICH THE FRAME AND TAPE ARE MOVED BY THE ROLLS DURING OPERATION OF THE MACHINE AND BEING ROTATABLE ABOUT ITS OWN AXIS AND MOVABLE IN AN ARC SUBSTANTIALLY RADIAL TO THE VERTICAL LINE OF CONTACT BETWEEN THE TWO ROLLS, WHEN THEY ARE TOGETHER, AND MEANS FOR RELEASABLY HOLDING THE POST IN AN ADJUSTED POSITION RELATIVE TO THE ROLLS. 